Aston Villa: Kevin MacDonald hoping to avoid a Moscow repeat after leaving NINE first team stars behind
Aug 19 2010 by Mathew Kendrick, Birmingham Mail
KEVIN MacDonald is mindful of avoiding more Moscow-style misery in Vienna tonight – despite controversially launching Villa’s latest European adventure without NINE first team big-hitters.
Stiliyan Petrov, Ashley Young and Luke Young have been rested from Europa League duty and stayed at home yesterday along with the suspended Richard Dunne and five injured senior stars.
John Carew (knee) has joined Villa’s list of casualties which already included fellow striker Gabby Agbonlahor (hamstring), midfielder Steve Sidwell (Achilles) and centre halves James Collins (calf) and Carlos Cuellar (hamstring).
Stephen Ireland finally completed his move from Manchester City last night as an £8 million makeweight in the protracted £26 million deal which took James Milner to Eastlands.
But the exiled Republic of Ireland international midfielder will not join Villa in the Austrian capital because he is being given a couple of days to sort out his domestic arrangements.
Although six of the absentees are out of MacDonald’s hands, he risks the wrath of the supporters if his decision to leave behind Petrov, Ashley Young and Luke Young backfires against Rapid Vienna.
